Since the development of the lady's brassiere in the late nineteenth century, brassiere designs have been promoted which lift, separate, pad and otherwise shape the human female breast; but, incongruously, until quite recently brassieres have been designed to mask or hide the location and eye appealing shape of the nipple of the breast. In more recent times, the so-called natural look or "braless" look has achieved great popularity, particularly among younger women, with the result that the absence of a nipple impression on the bodice of the wearer's garments is frequently considered undersirable as being unrealistic and unnatural.
Aesthetically, the absence of the nipple protuberance on her outer garment may be a source of anxiety or embarrassment for the lady who wishes to give the appearance of today's natural look but, due to the uncovered appearance of the particular individual's breast or other matters, is unwilling to go without a brassiere.
Thus, it is apparent that simulated nipples for a brassiere would offer an acceptable compromise for ladies who do not wish to go without a brassiere and a welcome release from the subconscious effects of the suppression brought on by wearing brassieres of the types variously available, which obliterate the nipple. The normal female nipple of a non-parous woman is too soft in its non-erected condition to produce a noticeable protrusion through the fabrics of a brassiere and an outer garment. Even in cases where the nipple does have sufficient firmness, as in parous women, it usually has too soft a foundation in the underlying substance of the breast to impress a protrusion in multiple layers of overlying fabrics. Instead of creating such a protrusion it sinks into the yielding areolar tissue of the breast glands.